What I Learned at a Black Magic Class
Curses & Consequences: What I Learned at a Black Magic Class
A curse class at Malliway Bros. in Chicago uncovers the truth about jinxes, hexes and curses, intent, consequences and protection. The dark arts, debunked.
Most people shy away from the idea of curses. We like to believe magic is all love, light and lavender-scented moon rituals. But what about the other side of the craft? The part that deals with justice, consequences and — let’s be honest — sometimes just good old-fashioned spite?
That’s why I found myself at Malliway Bros., a truly magical occult shop in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood, sitting in a dimly lit room, about to learn the art of cursing. Not to throw hexes around willy-nilly, but to understand them. Because, as it turns out, curses aren’t always what we think they are.
“Dark magic isn’t inherently evil, but it’s messy.
You have to be prepared for the consequences.
What Is a Curse?
Before diving into the how, we had to unpack the what. First up: learning the difference between a curse, a hex and a jinx.
Jinx: “Jinxes are thought of as the lowest level of dark magic,” according to Wycke, one of the store’s owners — a guy who most definitely has some Fae in his blood. “It’s usually mischievous and causes minor and short-lived inconveniences. Quick bad luck, stubbed toes and stained clothing are some of the most common offenders. These are usually not cast with true spite and are used instead for silly inconveniences or minor retaliations.”
Hex: “Hex comes from the German word Hexe or Hexen meaning “witch” and originally would have just meant a spell,” he continued. “Now hexes are thought of as more serious forms of ill-wishing. These are usually harmful spells meant to teach a lesson and will often be undone once that lesson is learned.”
Curse: “Curses are the most dire form of maleficium,” Wycke said. “They are long lasting and cause serious harm. A curse is not always meant to justify a wrong and will instead do harm just to meet its caster’s satisfaction.”
One thing that surprised me? Curses aren’t always evil. Some practitioners use them for protection, to bind harmful people, or as a magical last resort. One example: a justice curse designed to make sure a person’s wrongdoings catch up with them. Turns out there’s a lot of gray areas when it comes to black magic.
The Ethics of Maleficium
Malliway’s curse class raised the questions, “Should you?” Because no spell exists in a vacuum.
We talked about the Threefold Law (the belief that whatever you send out returns threefold) and the Wiccan Rede: “An it harm none, do what ye will.”
But not all witches follow these principles. Some believe in justified cursing, especially when mundane justice fails. Others think magical consequences work on their own — curse someone unfairly, and you might get slapped back by the universe.
The class debated this: Is it ever okay to curse? Someone argued that curses are just another form of protection. Another felt they should be a last resort. And then there was the question of intent vs. action: Does wanting harm make you just as guilty as acting on it? Or what if your spell hurts someone, even though that wasn’t what you had planned?
The Risks of Dark Magic
Here’s where things got intense. Cursing isn’t just about what you do to others — it’s about what you invite in. If you decide to dabble in the dark arts, watch out for these possible consequences.
Backfire is real. Misplace your intent, and you might hit the wrong target (including yourself).
Magical residue exists. Ever walked into a place that felt heavy? Curses leave behind energy, and if you don’t cleanse properly, it lingers.
Protection is key. Every good curse caster knows how to shield themselves. There are wards, protective symbols and cleansing techniques to avoid unwanted spiritual side effects.
One big takeaway: Dark magic isn’t inherently evil, but it’s messy. You have to be prepared for the consequences.
Breaking Curses
Of course, we didn’t just learn how to make curses — we also learned how to break them.
Methods included:
Unbinding spells to reverse the intention
Cleansing rituals (smoke, salt or a bath) to remove lingering effects
Mirror spells to reflect the curse back
Keep in mind, though, that countercurses don’t always work the way you’d think. Sometimes, the best way to break a curse is simply to stop believing in it, and inadvertently fueling it.
Warding: A Shield Against Harm
While Defense Against the Dark Arts class at Hogwarts played it up with wand-waving and faux Latin, real spells aren’t far off — they still demand intent, ritual tools and words that cut like poetry.
Here’s a simple warding spell designed to shield against residual harmful energies.
1. Plant your feet firmly on the ground and focus on its sturdiness. Say:
Iron as the blade, silver as the glass,
None what harms shall come to pass.
2. Make an X with your fingers in front of you. Say:
Not from afar.
3. Keep your fingers linked, cross your forearms over each other. Say:
Nor on my par.
4. Place both hands on opposite shoulders and say:
And none within may come to spar.
Visualize three crosses forming across your body — hard as iron, reflective as silver — locking into place for protection.
A Sundry of Spite: Cursing Methods From Folklore
Cursing techniques have been passed down through history. Some are simple but potent, requiring no special tools beyond one’s own energy and intent:
Spitting on someone or their belongings is considered a powerful curse. Some call this “witch’s venom.”
The Evil Eye can be cast simply by glaring at someone with jealousy or ill intent. This can be accidental but is dangerous when done deliberately.
Doing things in reverse can symbolically “undo” a person — writing their name backward, walking around their home counterclockwise, or dismantling their work in reverse order.
Collecting a taglock (a piece of hair, clothing or personal item) ensures a magical link to the target.
Tricking a victim into accepting a curse bypasses protections. Disguising a curse as a gift or using cleverly worded phrases can sneak past magical defenses.
Corrupting property with vinegar, urine or poison can attach harmful energies.
Foot track magic works by casting spells on a person’s footprints, shoes or the ground they regularly walk on.
The Hex of the Red Hand
This elaborate curse is designed to force someone to face the consequences of their actions — branding them with guilt and shame.
You’ll need:
A piece of paper
Red and black ink pens
Eyebright
Crash site soil
A red candle
Pins
Red cloth
Burdock burrs
Stinging nettle
Courthouse soil
Wood squill
A bowl of saltwater
A cauldron
Steps:
1. Write the victim’s name in red ink at the center of a square piece of paper.
2. Use black ink to surround their name with written records of their wrongdoings.
3. Mix eyebright and crash site soil in a bowl, chanting:
I see you with an eye unblinking.
I mark you with your lies unlinking.
4. Scatter the mixture over the name and add any taglocks you have of the victim.
5. Fold the paper into a parcel and seal it with red candle wax.
6. Pierce the parcel with a pin, saying:
I pierce this hand,
And lay the brand.
Red as my fury and red as the crime.
7. Place the parcel on red cloth and scatter it with stinging nettle, burrs, courthouse soil and wood squill.
8. Tie the cloth into a bundle and suspend it between a burning kettle and a bowl of saltwater, chanting:
Burrs of burdock, unrelenting,
Stinging nettle, still tormenting.
With soil, guilt upon your name,
Wood squill bows your head in shame.
Burn and rue, burn and rue,
Mark the hand that earns its due!
9. Dunk the bundle back and forth between the fire and the saltwater, repeating the final lines.
The bundle can be kept and fed with saltwater to extend the curse’s duration.
A Minor Swifting: Cleansing After a Curse
Once a curse is cast, residual energy can linger, and it’s wise to cleanse yourself to avoid unintended consequences. The class provided this simple swifting ritual to wash away unwanted magical influence.
1. Prepare a bowl of saltwater and dip your fingers into it.
2. Anoint your palms and say:
My left, my right, by these two hands.
3. Anoint your throat and say:
My voice, my words, to where I stand.
4. Pass sage smoke over yourself while repeating:
Hekas, hekas, este, bebeloi.
All that is unclean, evil or impeding to my ways,
From here, depart, depart, depart and be gone.
So, Should You Curse?
I’ve always heard that casting dark magic means it comes back to you threefold. I’m not sure the math checks out — but I do believe that if you’re fueled by anger and vengeance, putting that kind of negativity into the world increases the chances of it finding its way back to you. Just as we cast spells to manifest something good, the same principle applies to curses.
Here’s the thing: Magic isn’t good or bad. It’s a tool. Like fire, it can warm your home … or burn it down.
This class didn’t turn me into a wrathful hex-slinger, but it did change how I see magic. Curses aren’t just about revenge; they’re about intent, justice and power. And whether you choose to use them or not, it’s better to understand them than to fear them.
So next time someone warns you about the dangers of the dark arts, just remember: The real danger isn’t knowing too much. It’s knowing too little. –Wally
Interested in delving deeper into the mystical arts?
Malliway Bros. offers a variety of events at their shop, including tarot round robins, educational sessions, rituals and spell-casting workshops. Whether you’re a seasoned practitioner or simply curious, there’s something for everyone.
Explore their upcoming events.
Malliway Bros. Magic & Witchcraft
1407 West Morse Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60626
USA
https://www.thenotsoinnocentsabroad.com/
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